Positive Reentry Program (PReP)

According to trends researched by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 65 percent of those released from incarceration will be in some form of legal trouble and a full 50 percent re-incarcerated within 3 years. DWYBF has developed a reentry program that is built upon the solid foundation of criminal justice best practices augmented by extensive original research in to the specific challenges facing ex-offenders. The resulting program was born from that cumulative body of knowledge coupled with the expertise and cooperation of numerous agencies vested with the challenge of combating recidivism, joblessness and hopelessness among the formerly incarcerated in the Philadelphia Region..

The Positive Reentry Program (PReP) has four key components:

Reentry stakeholders

Committed members from the local community

Reentry Services Team formed under DWYBF guidance

Federal, State and County Correctional Departments

PReP is designed to synergize existing reentry resources in the Philadelphia Region, combining those working directly with ex-offenders with other progressive institutions that can meet the multiple needs of justice system involved individuals. Such interventions include:

Cognitive skills training

Substance abuse treatment

Family-based interventions

Educational services

Vocational skills training

Health and mental health services

The PReP program will deploy reentry services via a case management model to provide timely, individualized attention to ex-offenders living in and returning to the Philadelphia Region with the singular focus being to reduce the recidivism rate, reunite families, and eliminate the many barriers to successful, permanent reintegration to society for those it serves. It will receive guidance, oversight, and support from reentry stakeholders, who are an active coalition made up of representatives of the key sectors in the reentry arena. In order to bring all the voices in the local community together to focus on reentry, the stakeholders will operate as an open forum to educate, inform, and build collaborations in the community. Finally, important linkage agreements and working relationships will be developed between the PReP program and area correctional departments to work as partners in in the success of the reentering individuals, pre and post-release.